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The French and Indian war was a seven-year long conflict, causing 1,100-1,500 casualties. The war began over disputes in the Ohio River valley, and since both the French and British wanted to gain this territory, combat sparked. The war was between the French and their Native allies versus the British and the American colonists (along with the Iroquois Confederacy). Eventually, the British side claimed a bloody victory in the Battle of Quebec. This war was expensive for the British, and since they were deep in debt which needed to be paid off, the Crown ended Salutary Neglect. At the same time, the Proclamation Line of 1763 was passed, prohibiting the colonists from expanding westward of the Appalachian mountains in attempt to prevent another expensive war. This caused outrage within the colonies because they had fought and lost to have the right to the land, which now they could settle in. This led to further unrest within the colonies, and added to the pile of issues between the colonists and Britain, sparking the idea of American independence.

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One of the aforementioned taxes which was placed on the American colonies during the French and Indian War was the Stamp Act. This act placed a tax on almost all paper products, including legal documents, pamphlets and books, and even dice and playing cards. This tax caused the budding discontent within the colonies to bloom, protesting about “no taxation without representation”. This is because the colonists, even though technically British citizens, had no representation in parliament, and therefore no formal representation within the government that ruled them.

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The Boston Massacre was a conflict between American colonists and British soldiers, in which five colonists died and six more were injured. At this time, Britain was occupying Boston and many other large cities, with over 2,000 soldiers in a city with a population of around 16,000. The massacre was an accumulation of tensions that had been building between the colonists and British soldiers, due to the end of salutary neglect and new enforcement of outlandish taxes. The street fight allegedly started when American colonists were verbally attacking and throwing rocky snowballs at British soldiers. It is said that the British fired the first shots. After the death of five Americans, and the British soldiers walking away without a scratch (physically and legally), American patriots had a cause to rally together and support colonial independence.

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The Tea Act was an act passed by Britain which allowed the East India Tea Company to sell its tea for cheap by excluding them, and only them, from customs duty (a tariff for importing goods) in the colonies. Because they could sell their tea at a much cheaper rate, there was impossible competition between local vendors of tea and the East India Tea company. This sparked outrage from businesses owned by colonists, and increased the amount of smuggling going on within Boston’s ports. This act led to the famous Boston Tea Party, which, in turn, led to the next topic…

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The Intolerable Acts, or Coercive Acts, were a series of four laws passed which strengthened Britain’s hold on the colonies. The four acts were the Quartering Act, the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, and the Act for Impartial Administration of Justice. These four acts were set in place to further dominate the colonies, and punish them (specifically Massachusetts) for the Boston Tea Party. The acts stated that:

Colonists must provide housing and resources for the British army if need be (Quartering Act)

Close down Boston’s port completely except for the British navy and necessary goods (Boston Port Act)

Replaced Massachusetts’ governor with one decided by the King (Massachusetts Government Act)

Allowed any trial to be sent to Britain or another province. This allowed for British soldiers or officials to not be charged with crimes, and for colonists to get unfair trials without the presence of one's peers, which contradicts the Magna Carta. (Act for Impartial Administration of Justice)

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April 19 1775: Battles of Lexington & Concord

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April 19 1775: Battles of Lexington & Concord

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Often referred to as, “the shot heard ‘round the world”, the battles of Lexington and Concord were the first of the nearly two-hundred-and-thirty more which would follow. The battles were fought between British forces and American minutemen. The British were planning to confront Lexington, for rumors had spread about rebel weapons supplies, and aimed to seize them before a full-on rebellion could break out. The Patriots lost the battle of Lexington, greatly outnumbered, with eight Patriot men dying and no British deaths. The British troops then succeeded in destroying their weapons stashes, and marched on to Lexington. The battle of Concord turned things around. At this battle, around five-hundred American minutemen gathered, prepared to fight the British if need be. The seven-hundred British troops retreated, leaving the Patriots to rejoice the first victory of the war to come.

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In May of 1775 the second continental congress met. Within the span of this first meeting and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, both the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms and the Olive Branch Petition were both passed. At this time, George Washington was elected as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. These official meetings of the men who would soon create the government we have today, in my opinion, truly proposed independence from Britain in a logical way, rather than just disorganized riots and general unrest.

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The Lee Resolution was the first official document passed which stated that the colonies should seek independence from the Crown. As stated by Lee, “...all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved,” (Lee 1). This resolution led the way, legally and officially, for the U.S. to claim independence from Britain, and solidified the colonists' desires to fight.

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Though the American forces lost the Battle of Bunker Hill, it played an incredibly large role in the colonies winning the Revolutionary War. This is because it proved that they could keep their heads above water when in conflict with the vastly superior British army. It increased morale, and gave Patriots hope to keep fighting. Many say that if it weren’t for the Americans running out of ammunition, they would have come out of this battle triumphantly.

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January 1776: "Common Sense" Thomas Paine

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January 1776: "Common Sense" Thomas Paine

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Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense, took a strategic and logical approach to the issue of independence for the colonies. Being one of the highest-selling pamphlets at the time, with about 12,000 copies sold within just the first three months of being released to the public, its popularity made it so many more Americans agreed with the Patriot cause. It provided an intellectual case for American independence and a democratic government, and I think it was one of the most impactful events leading up to the American Revolution.